The best free events and festivals in NYC

It’s hard to get good food on the cheap, but for ten years, Queens Night Market has prided itself on offering the city’s best eats for just $5-6. Ranked one of the best food festivals in the U.S., the festival runs on Saturday nights through the summer at the New York Hall of Science in Flushing Meadows Corona Park. The foodie festival runs on Saturday nights through the summer at the New York Hall of Science in Flushing Meadows Corona Park. While the free festival officially kicks off on Saturday, April 26, the event is selling a limited number of tickets for a sneak preview on April 12 and April 19.  There will also be other items sale besides food, including vintage apparel, handmade jewelry, ceramic products, locally produced art pieces, crochet toys, stationery, and much more. In its existence, the market has attracted over three million visitors, helped launch 450 new businesses in New York and represented more than 95 countries through its vendors and their food. In 2022, the event averaged over 15,000 attendees each Saturday night. 

Shop 'til you drop at FAD Market, a curated fashion, art and design pop-up marketplace, which is back for 2025. Expect to see your favorite makers plus brand new creatives to help you live smarter, gift better and support local businesses.  FAD—which stands for Fashion, Art and Design—takes over different venues with a horde of independent vendors and creators. Admission is free and dogs are welcome! Peruse handmade jewelry, apparel, skincare products, tableware, artisanal packaged food, and more. Whether you're shopping for you or a friend (or even getting an early on that holiday shopping), there are plenty of local gems to pick up.  Here's the upcoming FAD Market schedule for 2025 April 5-6: Brooklyn Creates at Empire Stores in Dumbo April 26-27: Earth Month pop-up at Center for Brooklyn History in Brooklyn Heights May 10-11: Mother's Day Pop-up at Empire Stores in Dumbo May 17-18: NYCxDESIGN at St. Paul in Cobble Hill May 31-June 1: Brooklyn Brewery Pop-up at Brooklyn Brewery in Williamsburg

To honor and remeber those who lost their lives in defense of the nation, Brookyn's annual Memorial Day Parade will be held on Monday, May 26. This year is the 158th parade, making it one of the oldest parades in Brooklyn. The Brooklyn Memorial Day Parade kicks off in Bay Ridge at 11am on Monday, May 26 from 78th Street and Third Avenue. The route contiunes along Third Avenue to Marine Avenue up Fourth Avenue and over to John Paul Jones Park.

Bask in the beauty of Green-Wood Cemetery while listening to a concert by high-school musicians of the ISO Symphonic Band at Third Street. The musical selections commemmorate those who served in the armed forces, as well as feature music by some of Green-Wood's permanent residents, including James Weldon Johnson, Fred Ebb, and Leonard Bernstein. Bring a blanket, a picnic, and friends for this afternoon concert on Monday, May 26, which is celebrating 25 years in Brooklyn. It's free to attend with donations encouraged. 

Hundreds of food and craft vendors and multiple stages close down a busy Brooklyn artery for Atlantic Antic each fall. Spanning 10 blocks and cutting through four neighborhoods, it's billed as Brooklyn's largest street fair, so there’s more to see than stands hawking pashminas and MozzArepas. The eclectic musical lineup brings together diverse local talent and you can graze on grub from a delicious variety of artisanal vendors—washed down with some fab locally brewed ale, of course. The annual affair, hosted by the Atlantic Avenue Local Development Corporation, has been happening since 1974. Activities run along Atlantic Avenue from Fourth to the Waterfront. This year, it's on Sunday, October 5 from 12-6pm, rain or shine. The 1.5-mile festival stretches through Boerum Hill, Cobble Hill, Brooklyn Heights, and Downtown Brooklyn.